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Archive for the ‘School Issues’ Category
School Budget Cuts Proposed for 2010
Friday, February 13th, 2009
Public Forum
Friday, January 16th, 2009Along with several other people, Rob Gates (RCTA President), and Sue O’Connor (RCTA Treasurer) attended the public forum about the second high school Thursday, January 15, 2009 held at the Spaulding High School library. We presented comments and questions to Mr. Shea, Spaulding HS Principal and Mr. Hopkins, Rochester School Superintendent.
While we believe the dialogue helped to answer many questions and concerns (see documents section), it is clear that the work toward creating an additional Rochester high school has only just begun. Mr. Shea and Mr. Hopkins assured everyone at the meeting that public involvement would be an integral part of the discovery work throughout the entire process. However, one thing seemed very clear – Mr. Shea and Mr. Hopkins strongly believe that smaller schools provide for a better educational climate for students.
To date there has not been a lot of research done on this subject and it may be just another “fad.” The one fact that does come out regarding smaller schools is that the concept and models are generally geared towards larger cities with numerous inner city high schools and large percentages of minority student populations. There have been only 22 research reports from 1966 to 2000 when the idea of smaller schools first emerged. These reports investigate and define school size, socioeconomic status (SES), and school-size issues.
The RCTA has done extensive research on the idea of smaller schools and we have presented many links on the documents section of our website for your information. While the RCTA will continue to stay involved with this process of looking at providing a smaller high school, we encourage you to do your own research and become informed. Whether you will have children that will be impacted by the outcome of this effort or if you’re generally concerned about education performance and the cost of providing education, this will be an important step that our local school district might take that requires constant public scrutiny.
The RCTA strongly believes that parents and the public need to continually be involved with our children’s education, so we hope that you will do your very best to do your part.
E-mail calling employees ‘elitist’ for wanting raise has school paraprofessionals upset in Rochester
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008October 15, 2008
Fosters
ROCHESTER — The School District’s paraprofessionals are up in arms after an e-mail urging city councilors to vote down the group’s proposed contract renegotiation referred to them as “arrogant elitists.”
“My first reaction when I heard the comments was: ‘Who are these people? I don’t even know them, how are they judging me?’” said Roxanne Ajemian, a para-educator at Spaulding High School. “I think many people don’t know what we do and how much work it is.”
The e-mail that started the controversy was sent to councilors last week by Rob and Doris Gates, who claimed the requests made in the contract were “outrageous and far beyond reason.”
Teachers Union Contract Will Bankrupt Westborough
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008September 23, 2008
Wicked Local
Last week my friends at the Westborough News editorialized that our union teachers deserved thanks for devoting themselves to our students and “settling” the contract by voting approval of the last offer made to them by our school committee.
The editorial also claimed that teacher union members made a “huge concession” in their health care deal, and accepted a 1 percent raise for the past year and a 3 percent raise for each of the next two fiscal years. Unfortunately, this seriously understates the true amount of increases teachers will receive and the resulting taxpayer costs.
Applicant cries foul in withdrawal of Rochester school job offer
Monday, July 7th, 2008July 7, 2008
Fosters
ROCHESTER — An Effingham woman is claiming the local School District rescinded a job offer because she got the high school’s top guidance post over the wife of the School Board chairman.
Jennifer Murphy, who submitted her resignation from her current job after the offer, said she was so stunned to learn politics may be behind the reversal that she fired off an e-mail to administration reminding officials of the board’s conflict-of-interest policy.